Are Morningstar, Boca, etc quality foods or junk

Missmissy0003
Missmissy0003 Posts: 250 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm not asking about taste, but if you want to give your opinion on that that is fine.

What I'm asking is, what are these foods made of? Are they processed, are they considered clean foods, are they junk or a little of all if the above? I've always just blindly eaten them without really paying attention to what they're made of.
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Replies

  • jasmine_noel
    jasmine_noel Posts: 62 Member
    The first two ingredients in the Morningstar sausage patties are texturized soy protein and organic wheat gluten... from there they contain an additional 15 ingredients

    Clean eating is about eating as much whole food as possible and these would not fall into the 'whole food' category.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Well a morning star burger doesn't grow in nature so they're definitely processed.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    They are definitely processed and not even close to whole or clean foods. They are a combination of soy products combined with chemicals and additives to try to make them taste like meat, or to give them some sort of different flavor from what the base is.

    If you want veggie burgers, you can make your own at home. If you aren't vegetarian, then just eat some freshly ground meat. :)
  • EvilShenanigansTX
    EvilShenanigansTX Posts: 143 Member
    These products are HIGHLY processed. They are not clean. My test is if I can make it in my home kitchen with ingredients I can get at the grocery store/farmer's market then it is clean. There are additives, extenders, and flavor enhancers that are not available in my store.

    I avoid most of the time.
  • RavenBeauty87
    RavenBeauty87 Posts: 83 Member
    I love the stuff and have been eating it for years... I tell my doctor about it and I get test run often through my weight loss process.... Sure not the best stuff in the world but hey thus far I'm doing great
  • maricash
    maricash Posts: 280 Member
    The ingredients vary a lot depending on the brand, they can be soy-based, vegetable based, bean-based, or fungi-based (quorn products). You can find some with long ingredient lists and some that are much shorter. You can make your own veggie burgers and freeze them if you want something as un-processed as possible.
  • athens1000
    athens1000 Posts: 34 Member
    I would eat these products very sparingly..I know they are tempting; as a non-meat eater for the past 15 years its been great to see all the new choices that have become available. However, these 'healthy' alternatives are mostly chemicals and fillers. I get my protein from seafood and beans. If I had to choose, Id eat real meat over soy fake meat any day .
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    They're just fine. Eat them if you like it.
  • bluelena
    bluelena Posts: 304 Member
    I don't really care for most of the Morningstar and Boca stuff, but I do use Quorn products and like them pretty well.

    I make my own black bean burgers and freeze them - so much better flavor and texture than the prefab ones from the store.
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
    They are highly processed, but so are a lot of things. There really isn't a single definition of "clean." Whether you choose to eat them or not is a matter of personal preference.
  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
    If you can't pronounce the ingredients, they are processed. Just because it doesn't contain meat does not make them good for you. They are not clean by any means, and probably aren't any better than the products located next to them on the shelf/freezer. Of course, we all eat junk from time to time, so I eat these brands' product's occasionally because they are vegetarian.
  • Chipmaniac
    Chipmaniac Posts: 642 Member
    Quality
  • maryd523
    maryd523 Posts: 661 Member
    Absolute junk.
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    They are very processed, obviously.
  • fit_librarian
    fit_librarian Posts: 242 Member
    I would say junk. Just make you're own black bean burgers. OR, if you must have frozen burgers, Amy's Organic are pretty good health-wise and taste-wise.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    They are processed - but that does not mean they are junk or are unhealthy.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I would eat these products very sparingly..I know they are tempting; as a non-meat eater for the past 15 years its been great to see all the new choices that have become available. However, these 'healthy' alternatives are mostly chemicals and fillers. I get my protein from seafood and beans. If I had to choose, Id eat real meat over soy fake meat any day .

    What is exactly wrong with what is in them,

    If you do not eat meat - then fish and well, meat, are not alternatives.
  • cbenno97
    cbenno97 Posts: 130 Member
    Coincidentally--I was just reading up on these burgers a few hours ago since I stocked up on a couple of boxes and wondered belatedly whether that was a good idea. Here's a link to an article (along with a link to a study inside the article) about hexane and neurotoxins in some of these products. http://www.utne.com/Wild-Green/Do-You-Want-Hexane-With-Your-Veggie-Burger-7165.aspx

    Bottom line, I'll finish the boxes I bought, but I may buy them more sparingly now given the info.
  • Missmissy0003
    Missmissy0003 Posts: 250 Member
    Thank you for all of the replies and information. This is mostly what I was thinking. I've. Been getting them for so long it didn't even occur to me to question them. Not saying that I won't eat them ever, but they probably won't be a staple.
  • Ibelievenme2
    Ibelievenme2 Posts: 96 Member
    Coincidentally--I was just reading up on these burgers a few hours ago since I stocked up on a couple of boxes and wondered belatedly whether that was a good idea. Here's a link to an article (along with a link to a study inside the article) about hexane and neurotoxins in some of these products. http://www.utne.com/Wild-Green/Do-You-Want-Hexane-With-Your-Veggie-Burger-7165.aspx

    Bottom line, I'll finish the boxes I bought, but I may buy them more sparingly now given the info.
    Thank you for giving the link. I went and read it and found it helpful. I am not vegan or vegetarian at this time. I am trying to eat less meat. I also like the fact that they gave the list that was okay.
  • caribougal
    caribougal Posts: 865 Member
    I would eat these products very sparingly..I know they are tempting; as a non-meat eater for the past 15 years its been great to see all the new choices that have become available. However, these 'healthy' alternatives are mostly chemicals and fillers. I get my protein from seafood and beans. If I had to choose, Id eat real meat over soy fake meat any day .

    What is exactly wrong with what is in them,

    If you do not eat meat - then fish and well, meat, are not alternatives.

    Um, yum, ingredients in a MorningStart Veggie Burger really do it for me. Pass the gluten, soy protein isolate (aka hexane washed GMO Montsanto beans) and food coloring, STAT!

    But... it's LOW FAT!!! And it resembles food. And boxes are so easy to open. Must be healthy, then. Hey... as long as it fits your macros, you're golden.
  • linbert57
    linbert57 Posts: 154 Member
    One of the processed items I've given up.
  • freckles_cmj
    freckles_cmj Posts: 205 Member
    when I first went veggie I relied on them a lot as sort of "transition foods" but now I dont buy them at all. they are processed, but I still would pick an Amy's organic burger over meat anyday (Amy's brand is probably the best choice since they are organic and dont use any chemicals to process the beans..morningstar does if I recall correctly.) Now I make my own veggie burgers from oats rice and beans and seasoning of choice. MUCH tastier and they take all of 5 minutes (not including rice cooking time) to make. I will still get a box of amy's if we are going to a family cookout or something just to make it easier on myself and my veggie kids, but we probably only have them 2 or 3 times a year now.
  • ceceoplaymate
    ceceoplaymate Posts: 63 Member
    Im sure it isnt the best for us BUT I love them and I eat them
  • Gt3ch
    Gt3ch Posts: 212 Member
    Junk. But I eat them occasionally and kinda dig the Morningstar eggplant burgers esp with lots of toppings.
  • JediMaster_intraining
    JediMaster_intraining Posts: 903 Member
    processed for sure! i think boca veggie burgers are decent but i only like them plain.

    maybe you can find some recipes to make homemade vegetarian hot foods (if thats what you are aiming for). :smile:
  • Mich4871
    Mich4871 Posts: 143 Member
    I eat them in a pinch... but just like most processed foods I avoid, also due to the high sodium
  • Funsoaps
    Funsoaps Posts: 514 Member
    I agree with most people here..very processed and unhealthy. I lived off that stuff for years when I was vegetarian thinking it was healthy because it was lowfat and it really damaged my thyroid because of all the estrogen like hormones from the soy protein. Never again.. I cringe when I see that stuff at the store or see people buying it and I would never give it to my kids.
  • currierand
    currierand Posts: 155 Member
    They are processed - but that does not mean they are junk or are unhealthy.

    Thank you for always cutting to the quick and giving the SMART answer. :flowerforyou:
  • Funsoaps
    Funsoaps Posts: 514 Member
    There are better ways to eat vegetarian like using black beans and vegetables and potatoes to make vegetarian burgers or quinoa and things like that.

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